What You Need To Know About Diabetic Foot Care

At home, there are many things that you can do to enhance your Chicago diabetic foot care regimen. Make sure to examine your feet daily, especially after any type of trauma, no matter how minor it might be. Make sure to report any changes to your doctor, and apply a water-based moisturizer every day. Wearing wool or cotton socks can also help to improve circulation problems.

Around the home, eliminate any obstacles that you may trip over or bump your feet on, and be sure to keep your toenails trimmed with a safety nail clipping tool. You should also make sure to wear sturdy comfortable shoes, and your podiatrist can help you to obtain the proper fit and if necessary, a prescription for specially made shoes.

Regular exercise is also an excellent home care tool, since it improves bone and joint health, circulation, and will help to stabilize blood sugar levels. If you smoke tobacco in any form, quitting is one of the best ways to optimize your diabetic foot care regimen. This is because smoking has been show to actually accelerate blood vessel damage, in particular, to the small blood vessels leading to the feet.

With age comes the increased risk of problems to the feet and legs, since circulatory problems and nerve damage are more common in elderly persons, with or without the additional presence of or risk factors for diabetes. The longer that you have had diabetes, the likelier you are to develop one or more major factors for diabetic lower extremity conditions.

The seriousness of an infection, the quality of circulation in your legs, and your adherence to a diabetic treatment plan all determine your wellness outlook.

Symptoms of diabetes vary from type to type. Type 1 diabetes usually comes on suddenly as a result of an illness or injury. Type 2, diabetes may go undetected for years, and symptoms may be contributed to aging or obesity.

While there is no cure for diabetes, with proper treatment, diet, and exercise, serious complications of the disease can be minimized or avoided. You should seek medical care if you are experiencing any symptoms of diabetes, and if diagnosed, work to maintain healthier lifestyle choices. If you are obese and have had trouble loosing weight in the past, ask your doctor about the proper weight modification program. Remember, your feet are your lifeline, and proper care and treatment of them is essential for a lifetime of good health.